The Lazy Gal's Way To Stretch The Toe Box!

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#106
I have a pair of Declics that are too tight in the toebox area, especially the right shoe. They are about a half size too small. I just wore them with a pair of socks on but after 10 minutes, I couldn't take it and took them off. I am trying the lazy method and have thick socks stuffed in them. I'm next going to try the hair dryer method. Wish me luck b/c I want to wear these babies on Monday without pain!
 
#107
thank you everyone for the great tips! i just blow-dried my alcohol-swabbed new patent leather altadamas while wearing socks and already feel such an improvement. i've stuffed the right one (my right foot is bigger than my left) with socks to be left overnight and can't wait to try them on in the morning! i've been wearing them around the house all weekend but these tricks really helped speed up the process :D
 
#108
Hi CL ladies, I have bought this recently and have been following your advice to stretch the toe box... I soaked the socks (my DL's big socks!) in rubbing alcohol and have been stuffing them in the toe box, but it hasn't been very successful... I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing here... Would you mind taking a look at below and let me know? TIA! :flowers:
 

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#113
Hi ladies,

I am Loubies newbie, I got my pairs of Rolando this morning. I went up to 1 size and it's a tad big so I use heel gripper. The toe box is small and it so painful. I am going to try the rubbing alcohol and sock method. Wish me luck.
 
#114
bagladyseattle said:
Hi ladies,

I am Loubies newbie, I got my pairs of Rolando this morning. I went up to 1 size and it's a tad big so I use heel gripper. The toe box is small and it so painful. I am going to try the rubbing alcohol and sock method. Wish me luck.
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NOOOOO! Please don't use alcohol.

I just had to drop off some shoes at the cobbler on Monday because the rubbing alcohol turned spots of the chocolate brown and awful dark brown.
 
#117
bagladyseattle said:
Hi UWHuskygirl, Did you happen to use the Cobbler at UVillage?
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I have mixed feeling about him. I call him the shoe nazi, but I know that he cares about the shoes. He does a really good job, but his pricing is so inconsistent because he doesn't have a published price list. He charges whatever he feels like the day you stop in. I go to him when I'm in a hurry because he'll do vibrams in 30 minutes (for anywhere from $22-35 for the pair), but if I have time then I go to a guy in Kirkland. He's really worth the drive, but he takes a few days.

The place is called Totem Lake Shoe repair and he does a fantastic job for really cheap. He's repairing my ruined Insectikas and putting vibrams on them for $30.

Btw, nice to know there are other CL lovers in Seattle. :yahoo:
 
#118
Wait, so should we not use alcohol to stretch patent leather or other genuine leather toe boxes? I haven't done so yet but I planned on doing it if it worked if I ever got some shoes that are too small.
 
#119
nexisfan said:
Wait, so should we not use alcohol to stretch patent leather or other genuine leather toe boxes? I haven't done so yet but I planned on doing it if it worked if I ever got some shoes that are too small.
Click to expand...

After my last experience with my brown Insectika's I'm never doing it again.

I'll stuff dry socks in the toe and wait a week if I have to, but I will never put a drop of rubbing alcohol on the socks again.
 
#120
Hi ladies! I found this post and thought maybe my method will help some of you. What I usually do to stretch my shoes - I put a tea kettle with water on a stove, bring it to boil. Once started to boil, I turn the flame down and open the kettle's nose so steam can come out in a thin stream. Then I hold a shoe with a part I want to stretch over the hot steam and heat it thoroughly, at the same time stretching it with my hands. I heat and stretch in this manner all the parts of the shoe that bother me and then put it on my foot while still warm and let it cool on the feet. Works for me! just be careful with the steam, let the water boil slowly so you don't get burnt! Good luck!
 
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